Pfizer ends development of promising obesity pill after safety concerns

According to the company's latest statement, one patient experienced a potential liver injury that may have been caused by the drug

Pfizer Inc has announced that it will stop developing a obesity pill called ‘danuglipron’, after safety concerns were raised during a clinical trial. 

 

According to a company’s statement, one patient experienced a potential liver injury that may have been caused by the drug. This side effect has led Pfizer to end further testing of ‘danuglipron’ in its current form and shift focus to other obesity treatments that are still in early stages of development.

 

A report from the Moneycontrol mentioned that this decision can be a major setback for Pfizer, especially as the global market for weight-loss drugs is rapidly growing. 

 

 

With fewer people now needing Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, Pfizer has been trying to find new areas for growth. One of its main goals was to become a major player in the obesity drug market, which experts believe could grow to $130 billion by the end of this decade.

 

However, Pfizer has struggled to keep up with competitors like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. These companies already have approved weight-loss injections — such as ‘Zepbound’ by Lilly — which are generating billions in annual sales. 

 

Lilly is also working on its own obesity pill, which is already in the final stage of clinical testing. Other pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca and Structure Therapeutics are also racing to develop effective oral weight-loss treatments.

 

According to the Moneycontrol’s report, this is not the first time Pfizer has run into problems with ‘danuglipron’. Last year, the company had to stop developing a version of the pill that was taken twice a day. Many people in that trial experienced strong side effects such as nausea and vomiting, which caused them to drop out of the study. Earlier still, Pfizer had ended another obesity drug project after that drug was also linked to liver issues during testing.

 

With ‘danuglipron’ now discontinued, Pfizer is under increasing pressure to deliver new, successful products. CEO Albert Bourla has repeatedly said that Pfizer’s drug development pipeline holds great potential for future growth. 

 

However, many investors are growing concerned. The company is expected to lose around $15 billion in yearly revenue by the end of the decade as several of its key drugs lose patent protection.

 

In an effort to find new sources of income, Pfizer has spent billions on acquiring other biotech firms. So far, these deals have not resulted in any breakthrough products, as outlined in the report. 

 

Since the height of its success during the pandemic, when demand for Covid-19 vaccines and pills were at its peak, Pfizer’s stock price has dropped by more than 60 per cent. For now, Pfizer says it will continue working on new obesity drugs that are still in the early stages of testing.